ARE SUBSIDIZING GREEN ENERGY WHEN IN FACT THEY ARE ACTUALLY PAYING FOR THE BURNING OF TRASH. ENVIRONMENTALISTS CHARGE THE ICONIC BALTIMORE CITY INCINERATOR IS THE BIGGEST POLLUTER IN THE AREA. YET, IRONICALLY, UNDER CURRENT STATE LAW IT GETS MILLIONS IN CLEAN ENERGY SUBSIDIES. >> NO CASH FOR TRASH. DAVID: A BI-PARTISAN COALITION OF LAWMAKERS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES ARE CALLING FOR AN END TO THAT. >> TO END ONE OF THE BIGGEST FARCES IN MARYLAND. WE TREAT TRASH INCINERATION, BURNING OF TRASH, THE CITY OF BALTIMORE’S LARGEST POLLUTER, WE TREAT IT LIKE WE TREAT WIND ENERGY AND SOLAR ENERGY. >> WE ARE NOT SAYING SHUT DOWN THE PLANT. WE ARE NOT SAYING WE WANT TO END JOBS. WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS THIS IS A LOOP HOLE THAT NEEDS TO CLOSE. DAVID: TWO PIECES OF LEGISLATION, ONE IN THE HOUSE, ONE IN THE SENATE, REMOVES INCINERATION FROM THE STATES RENEWABLE ENERGY PORTFOLIO. MAKING BURNING TRASH INELIGIBLE FOR CLEAN ENERGY SUBSIDIES. >> THE BRESCO TRASH INCINERATOR, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, HAS RECEIVED $10 MILLION WORTH OF SUBSIDIES IN THE PAST SIX YEARS. PAID FOR BY MARYLAND RATE PAYERS. DAVID: MONEY, ADVOCATES POINT OUT, THAT COULD HAVE GONE TO HELP PROMOTE CLEAN ENERGY SOURCES SUCH AS WIND AND SOLAR POWER. >> THE QUESTION ALWAYS COMES UP , WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE WASTE? I TRUST THAT BALTIMORE CITY AND BALTIMORE COUNTY CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. AS A STATE, WE CAN SUPPORT THEM TO MOVE TOWARDS RENEWABLES OR INCREASED COMPOSTING. DAVID: THE COMPANY DID NOT RESPOND TO OUR REQUEST FOR COMMENT. LAST MONTH, THE BALTIMORE CITY COUNCIL PUT STRICTER EMISSIONS LIMITS ON THE INCINERATO

Baltimore's incinerator is coming under fire in Annapolis where two bills under consideration by state lawmakers would remove clean energy subsidies for trash incineration. According to bill sponsors and environmental groups, people are paying higher utility bills thinking that they are subsidizing green energy, when in fact they are actually paying for the burning of trash.Environmentalists charge the iconic Baltimore City incinerator is the biggest polluter in the area. Under current state law, it gets millions in clean energy subsidies. A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers and environmental advocates are calling for an end to that."To end the biggest farces in Maryland, we treat trash incineration, burning of trash, the city of Baltimore's largest polluter, we treat it like we treat wind energy and solar energy," said Sen. Michael Hough, R-Frederick and Carroll counties. "We are not saying shut down the plant. We are not saying we want to end jobs. What we are saying is this is a loophole that needs to close," said Delegate Nick Mosby, D-Baltimore City.Two pieces of legislation, one in the House and one in the Senate, would remove incineration from the state's renewable energy portfolio, making burning trash ineligible for clean energy subsidies."The BRESCO trash incinerator, in my neighborhood, has received $10 million worth of subsidies in the past six years paid for by Maryland rate payers," said Jennifer Krunze, Maryland program organizer for Clean Water Action. Money advocates point out that could have gone to help promote clean energy sources such as wind and solar power. "The question always comes up what do we do with the waste," said Delegate Lorig Charkoudian, D-Montgomery County. "I trust that Baltimore City and Baltimore County can have that conversation. As a state we can support them to move towards renewables or increase composting."Last month, the Baltimore City Council approved a measure putting strict emissions limits on the incinerator. The mayor signed the legislation Thursday.Wheelabrator, the company that runs the incinerator, sent a statement to 11 News, saying: "We appreciate the opportunity to present the members of the General Assembly facts supporting the retention of waste-to-energy as a Tier 1 renewable energy source as recognized by the Maryland Renewable Portfolio Standard. Waste-to-energy meets the two basic criteria for establishing what is a renewable energy source: Its fuel source -- post-recycled waste -- is both sustainable and non-depletable. There is no need to choose between wind, solar and other renewable energy sources. Last year, Wheelabrator’s renewable energy generation offset the need for roughly 891,000 barrels of oil or some 268,000 tons of coal. Every day, we divert waste from landfills to safely convert up to 2,250 tons of post-recycled waste from area homes and businesses into 64 (gross) megawatts of clean, renewable baseload electricity -- enough to power some 40,000 Maryland homes while reducing landfilling, lowering greenhouse gas emissions and recycling roughly 12,000 tons of metals that would also otherwise be landfilled."

ANNAPOLIS, Md. —

Baltimore's incinerator is coming under fire in Annapolis where two bills under consideration by state lawmakers would remove clean energy subsidies for trash incineration.

According to bill sponsors and environmental groups, people are paying higher utility bills thinking that they are subsidizing green energy, when in fact they are actually paying for the burning of trash.

Advertisement

Environmentalists charge the iconic Baltimore City incinerator is the biggest polluter in the area. Under current state law, it gets millions in clean energy subsidies. A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers and environmental advocates are calling for an end to that.

"To end the biggest farces in Maryland, we treat trash incineration, burning of trash, the city of Baltimore's largest polluter, we treat it like we treat wind energy and solar energy," said Sen. Michael Hough, R-Frederick and Carroll counties.

"We are not saying shut down the plant. We are not saying we want to end jobs. What we are saying is this is a loophole that needs to close," said Delegate Nick Mosby, D-Baltimore City.

Two pieces of legislation, one in the House and one in the Senate, would remove incineration from the state's renewable energy portfolio, making burning trash ineligible for clean energy subsidies.

"The BRESCO trash incinerator, in my neighborhood, has received $10 million worth of subsidies in the past six years paid for by Maryland rate payers," said Jennifer Krunze, Maryland program organizer for Clean Water Action.

Money advocates point out that could have gone to help promote clean energy sources such as wind and solar power.

"The question always comes up what do we do with the waste," said Delegate Lorig Charkoudian, D-Montgomery County. "I trust that Baltimore City and Baltimore County can have that conversation. As a state we can support them to move towards renewables or increase composting."

Wheelabrator, the company that runs the incinerator, sent a statement to 11 News, saying: "We appreciate the opportunity to present the members of the General Assembly facts supporting the retention of waste-to-energy as a Tier 1 renewable energy source as recognized by the Maryland Renewable Portfolio Standard. Waste-to-energy meets the two basic criteria for establishing what is a renewable energy source: Its fuel source -- post-recycled waste -- is both sustainable and non-depletable. There is no need to choose between wind, solar and other renewable energy sources. Last year, Wheelabrator’s renewable energy generation offset the need for roughly 891,000 barrels of oil or some 268,000 tons of coal. Every day, we divert waste from landfills to safely convert up to 2,250 tons of post-recycled waste from area homes and businesses into 64 (gross) megawatts of clean, renewable baseload electricity -- enough to power some 40,000 Maryland homes while reducing landfilling, lowering greenhouse gas emissions and recycling roughly 12,000 tons of metals that would also otherwise be landfilled."